==> I was reading and enjoying this Matt Zwolinski discussion of “left libertarianism,” but when he praised my takedown of Kevin Carson’s labor theory of value, I knew this rose to the level of a Potpourri link.

==> My interview with Bob Wenzel. We laugh, we cry. Seriously, I think there are some anecdotes in here that you’ve never heard before, including my awful impression of Israel Kirzner.

Unfair how? These people wished higher taxes on others. Inflicitng higher taxes on people was a major goal of folks over at Dem Underground and the like. Why is it *unfair* to note how they react to higher taxes on themselves?

BTW: I am not sure if you saw this comment directed at you in the other thread:

“I am not talking about who interpreted Landsburg better. I am just referring to the OLG debate itself. Of course we don’t want to go over that again. Yet I have an idea:

Since you (and Gene) think that Bob’s model can be replicated quite flawlessly with direct taxation, why don’t you take Bob’s screen play “The economist zone” and rewrite it without debt or any form of IOUs, just direct taxation. Put it up your blog and tell us when you are ready.

I think it’s just that this is more a function of not being aware of what is going on around you as it is a function of being an Obama supporter.

It’s like the the “get your government hands off my Medicare” citations. Funny. Convenient to illustrate a point. But probably unfair.

If I was actually trying to make an argument against Tea Partiers (rather than a casual off the cuff mocking) and I cited “get your government hands off my Medicare” I think it’s fair to say that that would be “unfair”.

Anyway I don’t even think the “get your government hands off my Medicare” isn’t even hypocritical so much as it is woefully uninformed. Same with these people and the payroll taxes. The real striking thing is how unaware they are about what is going on, not really their hypocrisy.

But I wouldn’t want to generalize either of their lack of awareness to the broader population of Obama supporters or Tea Partiers.

“I think it’s just that this is more a function of not being aware of what is going on around you as it is a function of being an Obama supporter.”
Now you’re just teasing me, with such slow fat ones right over the plate.

I think a considerable fraction of the Obama base wanted more taxes because in their minds those people deserve to be taxed. Schadenfreude may be nasty but it’s not really unfair. It’s not like the article is aimed at people who supported Obama for other reasosn, or accepting their fate in this regard. It’s mockery aimed at a certain self righteous, clueless, coddled segment.

Not to try and get you in trouble or anything, but any thoughts on the recent flare-ups of the long running spat between Wenzel and Kinsella/Tucker regarding IP? They’ve been pretty chippy at each other lately…